A ‘Killer Clown’ has been spotted in Durham, chasing children with a knife

A ‘killer clown’ has been spotted near Durham, reportedly carrying a knife and chasing children on their way to school in Chester-Le-Street, just a few miles from Durham.

The ‘killer clown’ craze, which started on college campuses in the US, has now apparently spread to UK soil. The clowns have seemingly been targeting school children, with sightings up and down the country, including Newcastle, Edinburgh and Belfast.

The clown was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, red shoes, a multicoloured top, a mask and had his face painted. A local police officer said: “The children arrived at school understandably upset and distressed by this incident and we are currently trying to locate this man.

“My officers will be on patrol outside the school at home time this afternoon to offer reassurance to children and parents. We believe this to be part of a much larger prank which is currently sweeping across the USA and parts of the UK.

“It is very alarming he was carrying a knife. However, we do not think he intended to harm the children and as far as we are aware, this is part of the prank.”